It is no more news that  aspirants gunning for various political offices jostle for the endorsement of former military president General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida at his Minna Manson home, however,  measures are being put in place by family members and aides to check media coverage of such visits to IBB to avoid controversies ahead of 2023 general election.

PanAfricReporters findings revealed that this is premised on the report that emanated from the recent visit of a support group of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

It was learnt that the members of the family of the former Nigerian leader were not happy with the report that he had endorsed the vice president, as they claimed that he was quoted out of context.

Consequently,  PanAfricReporters gathered that going forward all political aspirants visiting the house are not going to be allowed to enter with their media crew or the state correspondents.

It was observed that the media were not allowed in when former Lagos State governor Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and former vice president Atiku Abubakar visited recently except their cameramen who is only meant to take photos.

We also gathered from sources close to the house that, “whereas IBB is not worried about such media highlight and likely controversy because he is used to it, close family members and security aides who handle such schedules are averse to the frequent presence of journalists in the house with aspiring politicians.”

It was further gathered that deliberate measures are put in place not to allow IBB to be drawn into likely political schism ahead of the 2023 general elections

The source hinted that ” even at the Niger State level many governorship aspirants have started associating their ambition with IBB to getting some leverage but the handlers of IBB are careful.”

“He may even travel out of the country as the election draws nearer, he did the same thing in 2019, you know he is more effective when he is operating from the background without anybody noticing him, in as much as he is indifferent to the management of his media exposure ahead of the 2023 elections, he hardly gives out his body language and he will always dominate his surroundings naturally,” the source added.

Attempts to get a reaction on the new development from the family was unsuccessful but the source insisted that, the posture of the family towards journalists was not out of hatred or dislike for them but a strategy.